Letter-holding device



July 23, 1929. J. L. GAUTHERON 1,722,245

LETTER HOLDING DEVICE Fiied June e. 1927 2 sheets-shew 1 J C C6- sfi I d @mZmzze awk/ Avior/rays.

July 23, 1929. J. L. GAUTHERON 1,722,245

' LETTER HOLDING DEVICE Filed June 6. 1927 a Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 23, 1929.

UNITED STAES' r osrics.

EAN L Annnn eaurnnnon, or rams, FRANCE.

LETTER-HOLDING DEVICE.

Application filed June 6,1927, Serial No.

' the spot at the purchasers request, and for this reason'he is obliged to keep on'hand a large stock of such devices, which are both expensive and occupy much space, in order to give immediate satisfaction to the customer.

The present invention obviates this inconvenience, by the use of an apparatus by which the seller is enabled to compose on the spot all suitable monograms, names or the like upon request. The seller need only possess a few composing supports, several sets of alphabets of separate letters and certain signs which will most frequently enter into the composition of the sets which are requested. The said invention is characterized by the fact that firstly the whole internal edge or at least two opposite parts of such internal edge of a support forming a frame of suitable size and shape and secondly two opposite edges of interchangeable letters or the like employed for composing purposes are respectively provided in the opposite position (and indifferently) with female elements such as grooves and with male elements such as tenons or like projections whereby the said letters or like characters may be secured to the said frame by the co-operation of their respective elements, which latter are so disposed that they may be secured together in a permanent or a removable manner, either directly or by the a use of intermediate parts.

When the said attaching elements consist respectively of projections and grooves, I may provide an improvement consisting in the fact that the said frame comprises one or more movable parts serving to open and close the device with reference to the attaching parts of the frame. When in the open position, the letters or the like may thus be mounted in the frame by application or. by sliding, and when in the closed position, said letters will be held in the frame.

By the use of the said device, the seller may compose a monogram, a name or like set of characters, by placing the letters or other characters successively in the said frame in the proper. order, and they will be maintained in said frame by the attachingmeans which are provided.

196,811, and in France December 9, 1926. '1

The invention is further characterized by the forms of construction hereinafter dedescribed with reference to the appended drawings which are not of a limitative nature. I Fig. 1 is a front view of a set of initials formed in accordance with the invention, and Fig. 2 is a section on the line AA of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is the corresponding rear view, with the groove entirely'open. a

Figs. 4 and 5 are rear views of a support with a groove which can be partially opened,

this being shown in the open position in Fig.

4 and in the closed position in Fig. 5. Fig. 6 is an end view corresponding to Fig. Fig. 7 is a set of letters with a circular support, viewed from the rear.

Figs. 8 and 9 are perspective views of two constructions, with the closing parts open.

Fig. 10 showsa frame provided with a bar having a bevelled closing edge, and Fig. 11 partially shows said bar in the closed position, with the fastening plate notturned down. 7 I l I Fig. 12 is a like view with turned down. V

In the difie rent forms of construction,

which are shown in Figs. 1 to 7, the support consists of a frame (a) of goldsmiths work in which the groove (Z2) is formed upon two of the o )posite internal edges in the example shown in Figs. 1 to 6; in Fig. 8 the said groove is formed upon all the internal edges. In Figs. 1 to 3, the lower groove (6) is open on the back of the frame for its whole length,

The bar (a) is pivotally mounted at (a?) andis adapted to entirely close the said groove when it is brought upon the same, and said bar is secured by means ofaslot' (0 the said plate formed therein which cooperates with the I stud (0 In Figs. 4 to 7, the upper groove (6) is open for a length which somewhat exceeds the width of a movable letter or like character. In Figs. 4; to 6, the bar is held in the closed position by a pawl (0 which is pivoted at (0 and whose bent end fits into the notch (0 of the said bar. In Fig.7, the bar (0) is adapted to fit upon the frame (a), and it is closed' by means of the notch '(0 and the stud- (0 The interchangeable letters are provided at suitable points with the projecting tenons' (65) whose ends engage in the grooves (b). a I

In Figs. 1 to 3, while the bar (a) is open, the

the said tongues will fit into the grooves the closing bar (a) upper tenons of the letters are engaged in the upper groove (5), and the lower tenons are then inserted into the lower groove (b) and the bar is' closed, thus securing the whole order; the bar is closed upon the tenons of the last letter inserted. 1 V In Fig. 7, the side letters are first inserted, and the middle letter will then hold the others in place, the tenons ((Z) of these latters being so disposed asto mutually hold one another.

Obviously, the said grooves might be 'disposed upon the letters and. like characters, and herein the frame will offer co-operating projections. V a i As shown in Fig. 8, the frame'(a) carries at the rear the notches (b) co-operating with the projections or tenons of the letters, numbers and signs. The two closing bars (0) are pivoted to the frame (a) and hold the tenons in their recesses.

In this modification, the long bars (0) may be replaced by small bars by which each of the said notches will be separately closed.

In Fig. 9, the frame (a) comprises the grooves (b) in which the projections or tenons of the letters are slidable, and after the insertion of said letters the frame is closedby the removable side part (a?) of the back of'the frame which is provided with two tongues ((0 when the device is C1O(SZE))t)l, It is evident that the side piece (a might be entirely removable.

' As shownin Figs. 10, 11 and 12, the frame (a) is provided with the grooves (b) and j which is pivoted at (0 On the said bar is an end portion (0) which is suitably bevelled and co-operateswith a bevelled tenon formed on the said frame,

below whichit is engaged when the device is closed. The said bevelled parts (0 and (I66 are cut obliquely with reference to the corresponding side of the frame, so that the bar (0) which opens towards the interior of the frame (Fig. 10) will not pass beyond the said frame when the device is closed. A thin plate of flexible metal (Figs. 11 and 12) is soldered to a flat side which is disengaged from the frame (Fig. 11), and it extends outwardly of the said flat side in such manner that it will be situated above the flat side (0 (which is disengaged from the bar when the frame is closed. In order to close the said device after the insertion of the letters, the said plate; (6), which extends tobrooches, pins, pendants and others, and in general, it is applicable for all suitable purposes.

The shapes and accessory arrangements of the different parts of the devices herein specie fled, andchiefl those of the supports and of the letters ancf signs, as well as the details and means of construction, may be varied at will without departing from the principle of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaimis: I 1. A device of the type described comprising a composing frame, letter supporting flanges carried by said frame,a pivoted adapted to form a part of one of said flanges, a chamfered tenon provided on said bar, a corresponding chamfered tenon on'said last mentioned flange and a releasable locking plate for said bar fixed to said last mentioned flange disposed in flush relation to the upper surface of said last mentioned flange and bar. 2. A device of the type described comprising a composing frame, letter supporting flanges carried by said frame, a pivoted bar adapted to form a part of one of said flanges, a chamfer-ed tenon provided on said bar, a corresponding chamfered tenon on said last mentioned flange, the abutting surfaces of said tenons being cut on the oblique to position the said bar and a releasable locking plate for said bar fixed to said last mentioned flange disposed in flush relation to the upper surface of said last mentioned flange and bar.

A device of the type described comprising a composing frame, letter supporting flanges carried by said frame, a pivoted bar adapted to form a part of one ofsaidflanges,

bar

an obliquely chamfered tenon on said last mentioned flange, a corresponding obliquely chamfered tenon on said bar for positioning the said bar, a locking plate fixed to said last mentioned flange disposed in flush relation to the upper surface of said last mentioned flange and bar and a bendable lug on said locking plate adapted to cover the side of said tenons when said bar is in closed position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

, JEAN Lnannnncanrnnnon. 

